


Marked

by archer_and_lionprince



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Established Relationship, M/M, Short One Shot, Vampire Booker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27943424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archer_and_lionprince/pseuds/archer_and_lionprince
Summary: Leaning forward, Booker props his chin on the palm of his left hand, watching Nicky closely.[...] Since he stepped into the house, he noticed this cloying scent in the air.
Relationships: Booker | Sebastien le Livre/Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolo di Genova
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51





	Marked

* * *

Booker swallows his drink slowly, the rich taste of iron and elderberry filling his mouth, setting his taste buds alight. He licks his lips, closing his eyes to savor the taste. It has been some time since he could stretch his drink with something tasteful, something better than the local red vine and pressed tomatoes. Lifting his lids, he runs his tongue over his teeth, skin parting and closing under the small but sharp fangs. With another subtle sniff of the air, he puts his flask back into his pocket and pushes himself away from the wall, finally walking through the kitchen door instead of lurking outside.

“Ah, Book. There you are,” Joe greets, looking up from his book and Nicky doing the same on the other side of the table. Placing a bookmark between the pages, Joe holds his hand out to Booker, waiting with a patient smile until he takes it and then pulls him onto his lap, arm curling around his waist. “We missed you at the meeting.”

“Hm, forgot the time,” Booker hums, eying the cookies on the plate in the middle of the table. “Did you make them?” he glances at Nicky questioningly, fingers ready to snatch all of them if that is the case.

“No.” Nicky takes a sip of his tea; Matcha, Booker recognizes at the aroma filling the room. “But they do taste quite well.”

Disappointed, Booker sags a little more against Joe’s chest. He would have loved one of Nicky’s famous baked goods right now.

“They’re not bad,” Joe agrees, taking one for himself and offering half of it to the younger immortal but Booker only shakes his head.

“Non, merci!”

Leaning forward, Booker props his chin on the palm of his left hand, watching Nicky closely. He looks tired. The shadows under Nicky’s eyes more prominent than he would like, and he would love nothing more than to drag him to bed and ensure that he sleeps instead of worrying about the rescue plan for the imprisoned women. But there is something else that bothers Booker. Since he stepped into the house, he noticed this cloying scent in the air. And now, that he sits here at the breakfast table, he notices that the smell is clinging to Nicky.

Wrinkling his nose, Booker silently observes the older man, catching his attention.

Quirking his brow, Nicky looks quizzically at him. “Something wrong, tesoro?”

“Book?”

“There’s something… I can’t remember where I smelled this before,” Booker mutters, leaning further over the table, feeling Joe’s grip around his middle tighten as he tries to scoot forward.

“Someone marked you.” Booker hisses, suddenly remembering why that stench seemed so familiar. 

“Marked me?”

“What do you mean, Book?” Joe asks, pressing their shoulders together, looking first at the youngers profile, seeing the angry curve of his lips before settling his eyes on Nicky. 

“While you were out, did someone brush against you and injured you? Like, scratched you?” Booker reaches over the table, pushing Nicky’s green cup aside and hooking their fingers easily together. His fangs are starting to ache from how hard he is pressing his teeth together.

“No, but…” Nicky looks thoughtful at their joined hands, then turns his eyes back to them. “The client. I think he scratched me when we shook hands before he left. But I’m not sure.”

Nodding, Booker gracelessly slides from Joe’s lap, still holding Nicky’s hand. “He did. I can smell him all over you.” Pulling Nicky up, he guides him to the kitchen counter and letting go of him, searching for a deep bowl and vinegar. “Put the hand he scratched in the bowl; the vinegar will cover most of the smell,” he explains, pouring almost the whole bottle over Nicky’s hand. “After that, we’ll take a shower, to get rid of it completely.”

Joe steps behind Nicky, watching them with a frown, “What does it mean, ‘he marked him’. Marked him for what?”

Crossing his arms, Booker pricks his tongue at his fang and takes a deep breath, “It’s a method to mark a prey as off limits for other vampires. But to my knowledge it’s not done anymore. And nowadays there are plenty resources for us to draw nourishment from, not that we need much anyway. Asshole probably thinks he’s some big shit.”

**Author's Note:**

> My idea to this is:- Vampires are only a bit stronger than humans but do have enhanced senses  
> \- They don't need to drink a lot of blood. An iron rich diet with a few mg of blood is enough for a day  
> \- They can go into the sun but they get easily sunburned  
> \- Vampires are not immortal. They have longer lives but they do die when someone e.g. stabs them
> 
> Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this silly little snippet :D  
> Maybe I'll add a second chapter to this, but we'll see :3
> 
> Please don't repost my fics!


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